Conveyor sheet cargo container and method

ABSTRACT

An unloading apparatus for use with a cargo container. The unloading apparatus having a supporting frame with a mandrel rotatably supported by the supporting frame and laterally extending across the frame. The unloading apparatus having devices to detachably connect it to the rear of the container. A liner disposed on the floor of the container with devices to connect the liner to the unloading apparatus when the unloading apparatus is connected to the back of the container. The liner in some uses has rolled or pleated sections which unfold or unroll as the liner is pulled out of the container and winds onto the mandrel. As the liner winds onto the mandrel, the cargo contained on top of the liner falls out the back and into a collection device such as a bin located at the rear of the container.

This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/954,346 filed Sep. 30,1992, now abandoned which is a continuation-in-part of pendingapplication Ser. No. 732,451, filed Jul. 18, 1991, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF TEE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to cargo containers; and morespecifically, to cargo containers of the type from which bulk cargo isdischarged by pulling a bottom or floor liner out from the container.

Standardized containers-or boxes have come into very extensive use forthe shipment of freight by land and sea, and the many advantages of suchintermodal containers have made it very desirable to adapt them for usewith as many types of cargo as possible. Accordingly, there have beenattempts, with varying degrees of success, to use such standardizedcontainers to carry bulk cargo such as dry bulk chemicals, powdered andpelletized resins, flour, coffee beans, and grains. In particular,considerable attention has been given over the last several years totransporting such cargo in bulk in standardized intermodal cargocontainers--that is, in containers in which the cargo is loaded directlyinto the intermodal containers, without first being loaded or packedinto smaller boxes or packages that are then loaded into the intermodalcontainers.

Commonly, when a cargo is transported in bulk in a large, intermodalcontainer, the cargo is discharged from the container by tilting thecontainer so that the cargo slides out the back of the container underthe force of gravity. This type of discharging procedure is generallydisclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,696,952 and 3,868,042 and inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 481,989. While this cargo dischargingmethod has received significant commercial acceptance, it has adisadvantage in that it requires an expensive apparatus to tilt thecontainer.

With another method for discharging bulk cargo from a cargo container, apleated liner is first placed on the container floor when the containeris empty, and then the cargo is loaded into the container, over theliner. To discharge the cargo from the container, the liner is pulledout from the cargo container pulling the product out from the containerwith the liner. Canadian Patent 1,205,106 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,470,749and 4,556,349 disclose this type of technique for discharging cargo.This cargo discharging procedure has not received widespread commercialuse, however. A primary reason for the lack of commercial use is that,heretofore, the industry has not been able to provide a dischargingmethod of this general type that, on the one hand, effectively unloadsthe entire contents of the cargo container, and on the other hand, isstill comparatively simple and economically acceptable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is to improve methods and apparatus fordischarging bulk cargos from cargo containers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an economical andeffective method for discharging bulk cargo from a cargo container, ofthe type in which a bottom liner is pulled out from the cargo containerto pull the cargo out therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved liner forlining the bottom of a bulk cargo container, and that facilitatescompletely unloading the cargo from the container when the liner ispulled out from the container.

A still another object of this invention is to provide a system forsecuring a bulkhead inside a bulk cargo container, that eliminates theneed to use the floor or a bottom portion of the cargo container tosupport the bulkhead.

An object of the present invention is to suspend a bulkhead inside acargo container so that an entire bottom section of the bulkhead can beremoved, to allow cargo to be discharged from the cargo container,without interfering with the way in which the bulkhead is supportedinside the cargo container.

Another object of this invention is to use the floor of a cargocontainer to support a bulkhead therein, and to do so in a way thatallows a bottom opening, which laterally extends completely across aback opening of the cargo container, to be formed in the bulkhead, fordischarging cargo from the cargo container, without interfering with theway in which the remainder of the bulkhead is supported inside the cargocontainer.

A further object of this invention is to pull a liner out from a bulkcargo container by winding the liner onto a mechanism that is mountedand locked directly onto the cargo container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism forpulling a liner from a bulk cargo container, that can be easily mountedand locked directly onto standard size intermodal cargo containers.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved mechanismfor pulling a liner from a bulk cargo container, of the type that issupported independent of the cargo container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a self-supportingmechanism for pulling a liner from a bulk cargo container, and that hasa height that can be adjusted according to the height of the floor ofthe cargo container with which the mechanism is used.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a mechanism topull a liner from a cargo container, and that is very simple andeconomical to manufacture, install, and operate.

These and other objectives are attained with a cargo containercomprising a container body, a floor liner, and a rear bulkhead. Thecontainer body defines an interior cargo space for holding a cargo, anda back opening for conducting cargo into and discharging cargo from thatcargo space. The liner is positioned on the container floor in asequence of overlapping pleats or with a series of spaced rolls thatallow the length of the liner to expand. The bulkhead is held inside thecontainer body, immediately forward of the back thereof, to hold thecargo in the cargo space. With several disclosed embodiments, thebulkhead is suspended inside the cargo container--that is, the bulkheadis not significantly supported by the floor of the container, butinstead is supported by the sides, the roof, or by both the sides andthe roof of the container. In another disclosed embodiment, the bulkheadis supported by the floor of the cargo container, but in a manner thatdoes not obstruct or prevent the formation of a cargo discharge openingthat extends substantially completely across the back of the cargocontainer.

To unload cargo from the container, an opening is formed in the bottomof the bulkhead, and the liner is pulled out from the cargo container.As the liner is so pulled, cargo is pulled out with the liner; and atthe same time, the pleats or rolls of the liner unfold or unroll,expanding the length of the liner. The dimensions of the liner,particularly the size and number of pleats or rolls, are selected sothat the liner is able to pull out substantially all of the cargo fromthe container as the liner itself is pulled out of the cargo container.

Preferably, a mechanical apparatus is used to pull the liner out fromthe cargo container; and this pulling apparatus may comprise a frame, amandrel, drive means, and connecting means. The mandrel is rotatablysupported by and laterally extends across the frame of the pullingapparatus, and the mandrel includes means to connect the floor liner ofthe cargo container to the mandrel. The drive means of the pullingapparatus is mounted on the frame to rotate the mandrel and wind thecontainer floor liner therearound. The connecting means of the pullingapparatus is mounted on the frame to connect the pulling apparatus tothe cargo container, preferably immediately rearward of and below thebottom edge of the back opening of the cargo container.

An alternate mechanism for pulling the liner from the cargo containercomprises a frame that supports the whole pulling mechanism independentof the cargo container. This alternate mechanism also includes a mandrelthat is rotatably supported by and laterally extends across the frame ofthe pulling apparatus, and a drive means that is connected to themandrel to rotate the mandrel and wind the container floor linertherearound. With this alternate pulling mechanism, the mandrel may bepositioned at a multitude of heights, allowing the height of the mandrelto be adjusted according to the height of the floor of the cargocontainer.

Further benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom a consideration of the following detailed description given withreference to the accompanying drawings, which specify and show preferredembodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a bulk cargo container.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cargo being loaded into the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 snows the cargo being discharged from the cargo container.

FIG. 4 is a back perspective view of a pleated sheet used to line thefloor of the cargo container.

FIG. 4A is a back perspective view of a portion of the sheet of FIG. 4,illustrating an alternate form in which the sheet can be placed inside acargo container.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, perspective view of a portion of the pleatedliner of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5A illustrates one procedure for connecting together adjacentpleats of the liner shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 6 is a back perspective view of an alternate liner that may be usedin the cargo container of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 6A is a back perspective view of a portion of the liner of FIG. 6,illustrating an alternate form in which the liner can be placed on thefloor of a cargo container.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, perspective view of a portion of the liner ofFIG. 6, showing how the rolls of the liner may be formed.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a portion of the liner shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8A is an enlarged, perspective view of a portion of the liner ofFIG. 6, showing perforations that may be formed in the liner.

FIG. 9 is a back view of the bulkhead used in the cargo container ofFIGS. 1-3, and shows one arrangement for suspending the bulkhead insidethe cargo container.

FIG. 10 illustrates how a support strap for the bulkhead may be mountedon the cargo container.

FIG. 11 shows an alternate arrangement for suspending the bulkheadinside the cargo container.

FIG. 12 shows a third arrangement for suspending the bulkhead inside thecargo-container.

FIG. 13 illustrates how a reinforcing bar for the bulkhead may besupported inside the cargo container.

FIG. 14 is a back perspective view of the cargo container of FIGS. 1-3,with an alternate bulkhead installed therein.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 14, showing a part ofthe support means for the alternate bulkhead.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an apparatus for pulling a floor linerfrom the cargo container of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 17 is a top view of the pulling apparatus of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a corner casting of the cargo containershown in FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 19 is a top view of one of the connecting assemblies of theapparatus of FIGS. 16 and 17.

FIG. 20 shows the connecting assembly of FIG. 19 inserted into thecorner casting of FIG. 18.

FIG. 21 shows the connecting assembly locked inside the corner casting.

FIG. 22 shows the connecting assembly tightly clamped onto the cornercasting.

FIG. 23 shows an alternate liner pulling apparatus mounted on the cargocontainer of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 24 illustrates a detail of the pulling apparatus shown in FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a front view of another apparatus for pulling a floor linerfrom a cargo container.

FIG. 26 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 25.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-3 illustrate cargo container 100 generally comprising containerbody 102, liner 104, and bulkhead 106. Generally, container body 102defines an interior cargo space 110 for holding a cargo; and thecontainer body includes a floor 112, roof 114, front and back walls 116and 120, and left and right side walls 122 and 124. Back wall 120includes a pair of outwardly hinged doors 120a and 120b, and when thesedoors are open, the back wall forms an opening that provides access tothe interior of the cargo container. Liner 104 is positioned oncontainer floor 112 in a sequence of overlapping pleats or foldedsections 126 that allow the length of the liner to expand; and thebulkhead 106 is secured inside container body 102, immediately forwardof back wall 120, to hold a cargo in cargo space 110.

Generally, in operation, a bulk cargo 128 is loaded into cargo space 110and onto liner 104. Suitable inlet openings (not shown) may be providedin bulkhead 106 to allow the cargo to pass therethrough and into cargospace 110, or the cargo may be conducted into that cargo space throughthe area above the top of the bulkhead. Once the container is loadedwith cargo, it is transported, and the container is unloaded after itreaches its destination.

To unload cargo 128 from container 100, an opening 130 is formed in thebottom of bulkhead 106 and liner 104 is pulled outward from the cargocontainer. As the liner is so pulled, cargo 128 is pulled out with theliner; and at the same time, the pleats 126 of the liner unfold,expanding the length of the liner. The dimensions of liner 104,particularly the size and number of pleats 126, are selected so that theliner is able to pull out substantially all of the cargo from thecontainer as the liner itself is pulled out of the container cargo.Preferably, as discussed in detail below, a mechanical apparatus is usedto pull liner 104 out from cargo container 100. This mechanicalapparatus may be mounted on the cargo container, or it may be a freestanding unit positioned behind the back wall of the cargo container.

Any suitable cargo container 100 may be employed in the practice of thisinvention, although preferably container body 102 has a conventionalsize and shape. Even more preferably, container body 102 is of the typereferred to in the art as intermodal and can be transported by truck,railroad, and ship. The present invention may also be practiced withtractor-trailers, over the road trucks, flat bed trucks, or dump trucks,or any container of the type referred to in the art as ISO containers.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate liner 104 in greater detail. With particularreference to FIG. 4, liner 104 has a generally elongated, rectangularshape, including front and back edges 104a and 104b. Also, the foldedsections 126 of liner 104 are spaced apart along the length of theliner; and each of the folded sections of the liner extends completelyacross the width of the liner, substantially perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of the liner. Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,over substantially or completely the entire length of the liner, thefolds are directed toward the back edge of the liner and toward the reardoors of the cargo container. Alternatively, those folds may be directedtoward the front or nose of the container, and this latter arrangementmay be preferred because it may allow the material being unloaded to bepulled much easier along with the liner.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each folded section includes front and backedges; and in each pair of adjacent folded sections, the back edge ofthe forward one of that pair of sections is positioned on top of therearward one of that pair of sections. For example, in FIGS. 4 and 5,four folded sections are specifically referenced at 126a, 126b, 126c,and 126d. The front and back edges of section 126a are referenced at126a-1 and 126a-2 respectively, and the front and back edges of section126b are referenced at 126b-1 and 126b-2 respectively. Similarly, thefront and back edges of section 126c are respectively referenced at126c-1 and 126c-2, and the front and back edges of section 126c arerespectively referenced at 126d-1 and 126d-2. The back edge 126a-2 ofsection 126a is on top of folded section 126b, the back edge 126b-2 ofsection 126b is on top of folded section 126c, and the back edge 126c-2of this latter section is on top of folded section 126d.

The number and widths of the folded sections 126 of liner 104 are chosento help ensure that cargo 128 is completely unloaded from cargocontainer 100 as the liner is pulled out therefrom. However, each foldedsection may have a random width, and these folded sections may berandomly spaced along the length of liner 104. That length is anothervariable that may be selected to help ensure that cargo 128 iscompletely unloaded from cargo container 100 as the liner is pulled outtherefrom.

Preferably, the length of the liner is at least equal to the length ofcontainer floor 112, and even more preferably, the length of the lineris greater than the length of the container floor. When the liner isinstalled in cargo container 100, the liner extends over the completelength of the container floor, and the forward portion of the linereither partially or completely extends over front wall 116 of the cargocontainer, in the form shown in FIG. 4, or that forward portion of theliner may be folded underneath the rest of the liner, as shown in FIG.4A. The front portion of liner 104 may be provided with attachment meansto help secure the liner inside cargo container 100; and this attachmentmeans may comprise eyelets or loops, or nail strip wood or material(woven) (non) integral nailing strip or adhesive tape. Also, the backend portion of liner 104 preferably has truncated corner portions tohelp pull the liner out of the cargo container, as discussed in greaterdetail below.

In addition, small connections, as shown at 132, are formed betweenadjacent folded sections 126 to maintain those folded sections heldagainst each other inside cargo container 100 until liner 104 is pulledout of the container. Each connection 132 has very little resistance andis broken as soon as an appreciable pulling force is applied to thebottom of the two layers joined by the connection. With reference toFIG. 5A, these connections may be made, for example, by a needle pointseal weld. More specifically, a multitude of heated pins or needles 133are inserted through an adjacent pair of sections 126 and then withdrawnfrom those sections. These pins or needles are heated sufficiently tomelt small portions of the folded sections 126, which then solidify,fuzing together these small portions of the adjacent folded sections.Adjacent folded sections may be suitably connected together in otherways, though, and for instance, adjacent sections may be connectedtogether by a hot melt procedure, by adhesive tape, contact cement,adhesive or velcro, or these sections may be hot ironed in place orstitched together.

FIGS. 6-8 illustrate an alternate liner 134 that may also be used topull a bulk cargo from cargo container 100; and liner 134 includes amultitude of rolled sections 136, rather than a multitude of overlappingpleats 126, spaced along the liner to allow the length of the liner toexpand as it is pulled outward from the cargo container. Each rolledsection 136 includes a section of liner 134 rolled about a given axis.Preferably, each rolled section 136 laterally extends completely acrossthe width of liner 134, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinalaxis thereof. The specific number of rolled sections 136 in liner 134,and the size of each rolled section may vary, however, depending on thespecific application for which a particular liner is intended.

FIGS. 7 and 8 particularly illustrate one procedure that may be used toform rolled sections 136. To form a rolled section, two adjacentportions of liner 134 are brought together, for example as shown at 140,so as to form a top edge 142; and then these two adjacent portions ofthe liner are progressively rolled together about that edge, as shown at144a, 144b, 144c, and 144d, until the desired length or amount ofmaterial has been rolled together. As will be understood by those ofordinary skill in the art, each rolled section 136 of liner 134 may beformed by rolling two adjacent portions of the liner in either directionalong the length of the liner--that is, either toward the back edge ofthe liner, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, or toward the front edge of theliner.

Preferably, after a given section of liner 134 has been rolled together,means are applied to the formed roll to hold the material thereof inthat roll. For instance, a needle or pin point seal weld may be used toconnect together the layers of each roll. More particularly, one or moreheated pins or needles 146 may be inserted into or through each roll andthen withdrawn from the roll. These pins or needles are electricallyheated sufficiently to melt small portions of the layers of each roll,which then solidify, connecting together the layers of the roll.Preferably, a multitude of such connections are made along the length ofeach roll, uniformly spaced therealong. Alternatively, adhesive tape mayapplied over each roll and connected to adjacent portions of liner 134,on one or both sides of the roll, to prevent the roll from prematurelyunravelling.

The length of liner 134 also is preferably at least equal to, and morepreferably greater than, the length of container floor 112. When liner134 is installed in cargo container 100, the liner extends over thecomplete length of the container floor, and the forward portion of theliner either partially or completely extends over front wall 116 of thecargo container, or is folded underneath the rest of the liner, as shownin FIG. 6A.

Both liners 104 and 134 may be made from any suitable material, althoughpreferably the liners have a high resistance to stretching at leastalong the lengths of the liners. For example, the liners may beconstructed of woven polyethylene or woven polypropylene fabric having athickness of about seven mils. Alternatively, the liners' material maybe reinforced by the use of strips, such as two inch strips offiberglass tape or metal reinforced tape or polyester reinforced tape,or the liners could be made from bi-axially oriented coextrudedcross-laminated plastic film, or coextruded, or cross laminated film. Asstill additional examples, the liner may be made from natural materialssuch as cotton, or kraft reinforced paper. Moreover, with reference toFIG. 8A either of the liners 104 or 134 may be provided with a multitudeof perforations 150, or with a multitude of protrusions or roughenedareas, to increase the roughness of the liner and to give the lineradded traction to pull out the cargo from the cargo container.

Floor liners 104 and 134 may be used in conjunction with other linersthat line the interiors of cargo containers. For example, U.S. Pat. No.4,799,607 and U.S. patent application 481,989 disclose expandablecontainer liners that are used to line the interiors of cargo containersto help keep the container surfaces clean and to help protect the cargoinside the container. After such a container liner has been installedinside a cargo container, liner 104 or liner 134 may be installed insidethe former liner, over the floor of the cargo container, to subsequentlydischarge product from the lined cargo container.

As previously mentioned, and with reference again to FIGS. 1-3, bulkhead106 is secured inside cargo container 100, immediately forward of backwall 120, to hold a cargo in cargo space 110. In particular, thebulkhead is used to hold the cargo in that space both while the cargo isbeing loaded thereinto and while the container is being transported. Aswill be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, typically, adischarge opening must be formed in the bulkhead to allow cargo to bedischarged from the cargo container. In order to achieve a completeunloading of the cargo when cargo is discharged from container 100 bymeans of a procedure in which a bottom liner is pulled out from thecontainer, it is important that a wide opening be formed across thebottom of the bulkhead.

Heretofore, however, it has been difficult to form suitable wideopenings in the bottoms of flexible or yieldable bulkheads used to holdbulk cargo in cargo containers. This is because these prior artbulkheads have been supported by the floors of the cargo containers; andany very wide opening formed in the bottom of such a bulkhead weakensthe bulkhead, and the bulkhead may partially collapse and interfere withthe flow of the product outward from the cargo container.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, these prior artdifficulties are overcome by suspending bulkhead 106 inside cargocontainer 100--that is, the bulkhead is supported by a portion of thecargo container other than floor 112 thereof, and for example, thebulkhead may be supported by the sides 122, 124, by the roof 114, or byboth the sides and the roof of the cargo container. In this way, anopening may be formed completely across the bottom of the bulkhead, or abottom portion of the bulkhead may be removed, to allow cargo to bedischarged from the cargo container without significantly interferingwith the way in which the bulkhead is supported inside the cargocontainer.

FIGS. 9-13 illustrate a preferred embodiment of bulkhead 106 and variousarrangement for suspending the bulkhead inside cargo container 100.FIGS. 9, 11, and 12 also show a pair of reinforcing members or bars 152that are mounted inside cargo container 100 to reinforce bulkhead 106.More specifically, reinforcing bars 152 are located rearward of bulkhead106, extend laterally across the bulkhead, and engage both the bulkheadand the cargo container body to transfer loads on the bulkhead to thecargo container body.

With the support arrangements shown in FIGS. 9-11, at least one andpreferably two straps 154, 156 are connected to upper portions of cargocontainer 100 and used, either directly or indirectly, to suspendbulkhead 106 therewithin. For example, with particular reference toFIGS. 9 and 10, a first end of each strap, for example end 156a of strap156, may be looped over a hook or bar 160 mounted on an inside surfaceof cargo container 100, and a second end of each strap may be insertedthrough one or more slits 162 formed in the bulkhead. The ends of eachstrap may be tied or connected together, forming one large loop fromstrap 154 and one large loop from strap 156 to mount the bulkhead on thecargo container. Alternatively, each end of each strap 154, 156 may betied to a respective adjacent portion of the same strap, forming top andbottom smaller loops on strap 154, and top and bottom smaller loops onstrap 156 to mount the bulkhead on the cargo container. As a stillfurther alternative, each strap end may be tied to a respective portionof cargo container 100, or to a respective hook or bar mounted on theinside surface of the cargo container, to hold bulkhead 106 thereon.

As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, numerousother procedures may be used to connect straps 154, 156 to cargocontainer 100 and to bulkhead 106, and for instance, the straps may bestapled to the bulkhead. Further, straps 154, 156 may be employed tohold reinforcing bars 152 in place; and for example, as generallydepicted in FIG. 9, each strap may be wrapped or looped around, orsimply extend over a respective one side of each of bars 154 and 156,for instance as shown at 164, to hold those bars.

FIG. 11 illustrates a technique for using straps 154, 156 to indirectlysuspend bulkhead 106. With this procedure, one of the reinforcing bars152, for example the lower of these two bars, is directly suspended bystraps 154 and 156, and then a second set of straps, referenced at 166,are mounted on or wrapped around that one reinforcing bar and used tosuspend bulkhead 106. More particularly, straps 154, 156, and preferablythe lower ends 154b, 156b thereof, are looped around, wrapped around, orotherwise connected to one of the reinforcing bars, preferably to sidesthereof, to hold the reinforcing bar in place. Similarly, each of straps166 is looped or wrapped around or otherwise mounted on the onereinforcing bar and connected to bulkhead 106. These straps 166 may beconnected to bulkhead 106 in any suitable way; and for example, ends ofstraps 166 may be inserted through slits 162 and tied together on thefront side of the bulkhead. Alternatively, straps 166 may be stapled orglued to the bulkhead. With this general procedure, a third set ofstraps 170 may be connected to or mounted on bulkhead 106 and looped orwrapped around the second of the reinforcing bars to hold that bar inits desired position adjacent the bulkhead.

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate another procedure for suspending bulkhead 106from one or both of the reinforcing bars 152. In this case, however, theends of that one or both of the reinforcing bars extend into smallrecesses or notches (one of which is shown at 172 in FIG. 13) formed inthe side walls 122, 124 of cargo container 100, and are thus directlysupported by those side walls, rather than by straps 154, 156. In theevent that only one of the reinforcing bars 152 is supported in notches172, a set of straps 174 is wrapped or looped around that reinforcingbar and connected to bulkhead 106 to suspend the bulkhead from thatreinforcing bar. A second set of straps 176 may be connected to bulkhead106 and wrapped or looped around the second reinforcing bar to hold thatbar in place. In the event that both reinforcing bars 152 extend intoreceiving notches 172 in the side walls of cargo container 100, a set ofstraps is mounted on either of those bars and connected to the bulkheadto support the bulkhead; and if desired, a second set of straps may bemounted on the other of the reinforcing bars and also connected to thebulkhead to further support the bulkhead.

Straps 154, 156, 166, 170, 174 may be made of any suitable material,although preferably they are made from a high strength material. Forinstance, the straps may be constructed of woven polyethylene andpolypropylene, or the straps may be made from strips of fiberglasstapes, metal reinforced tapes, polyester reinforced tapes, or nylonwebbing. As still additional examples, the support straps 154, 156, 166,170, 174 may be made from woven nylon or polyester webbing or rope orfrom braided rope or twine, coextruded cross laminated plastic film, orcoextruded, or cross laminated film.

Preferably, bulkhead 106 is comprised of upper and lower separablesections 106a and 106b; and in use, the lower section of the bulkhead isseparated and removed from the upper section to form a discharge openingor outlet in the bulkhead. Bulkhead sections 106a and 106b may bereleasably connected together in any suitable manner; and for example,these bulkhead sections may be stapled or nailed together.Alternatively, one of these bulkhead sections may be provided with aplurality of hooks, and the other of the bulkhead sections may beprovided with a plurality of openings or eyelets adapted to mount ontothose hooks to connect the two bulkhead sections together. Also,bulkhead sections 106a and 106b may be pivotally connected togetheralong their adjacent edges so as to allow section 106b to pivot upwardand outward, about the top edge of section 106b, and thereby form adischarge opening in bulkhead 106.

When bulkhead 106 is comprised of upper and lower separable sections, itmay be desirable to position a reinforcing bar, shown at 177 in FIG. 11,across the lower bulkhead section to brace that bulkhead section againstcargo inside cargo container 100. This reinforcing bar 177 may besupported in any suitable manner; and for instance, the bar 177 may besupported by straps 154, 156, 166, 170, or 174 or by additional straps(not shown) or by the sides of cargo container 100. Preferably, thisreinforcing bar 177 can be easily removed or disassembled to allowbulkhead section 106b to be moved or removed to form a discharge openingin the bulkhead. For instance, bar 177 may be collapsible or comprisedof a plurality or multitude of separable sections that are releasablyconnected together by pins, bolts, or similar means.

As will be understood, it is not necessary that the bulkhead becomprised of separable sections; and for instance, the bulkhead may beformed from one piece or section of material, and a lower portion orarea of the bulkhead may be cut away from an upper portion thereof toform the desired discharge opening in the bulkhead.

FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate an alternate bulkhead 178 and means 179 forsupporting that bulkhead in cargo container 100. Although this bulkheadis supported by floor 112 of the cargo container, the manner in whichthe bulkhead is supported does not obstruct or prevent the formation ofa cargo discharge opening that extends substantially completely acrossthe back of the cargo container. Generally, bulkhead 178 includes upperand lower sections 178a, 178b, and the support means for the bulkheadincludes left and right spacers 180, 182 and cross bar 184.

Left and right spacers 180, 182 are secured inside container body 102,immediately adjacent the left and right side walls thereof,respectively, and cross bar 184 is supported by and laterally extendsbetween the left and right spacers. More specifically, spacers 180, 182are positioned inside vertical grooves or channels 186, 188 formed byleft and right back corner posts 190, 192 of cargo container 100, andeach of these spacers is supported on and extends upward from floor ofcargo container. Also, cross bar 184 rests on and extends between topends of spacers 180, 182. Preferably, the top ends of spacers 180, 182are at the same height and cross bar 184 is substantially horizontal;and preferably, this cross bar also extends into channels 186, 188 sothat the corner posts 190, 192 hold the cross bar against forward andrearward movement inside the cargo container.

Spacers 180, 182 and cross bar 184 may be made of any suitable materialand have any suitable shape. For instance, these elements may be made ofmetal, wood, or plastic, although preferably the cross bar is made ofmetal. Further, these elements may have rectangular, square, or circularcross-sectional shapes, although preferably cross bar 184 has agenerally flat upper surface to help hold and support bulkhead section178a thereon.

Bulkhead section 178a, as mentioned immediately above, is supported oncross bar 184 and extends upward therefrom. Preferably, bulkhead 178literally extends completely across the back opening of cargo container100; and even more preferably, the left and right side edges of thebulkhead extend into channels 186, 188 respectively, so that cornerposts 190, 192 help to hold the bulkhead in place in the cargo containeragainst forward and rearward movement. Other or additional means may beemployed to hold bulkhead 178 in place, however; and for example, woodor metal beams or bars may be secured inside the cargo container,rearward of the bulkhead, to hold and to brace the bulkhead inside thecargo container.

Lower bulkhead section 178b is held in place below cross bar 184 andbetween left and right side walls; and preferably, as shown in FIG. 14,the bulkhead section 178b completely, or substantially completely,covers the area or space 194 between container floor 112 and cross bar184 and between left and right corner posts 190, 192. Any suitable meansmay be used to hold bulkhead section 178b in place; and for instance,this bulkhead section may be connected to the container floor, to thecorner posts, to the cross bar, or to bulkhead section 178a to hold thebulkhead section 178b in its desired position. Bulkhead section 178balso may extend into grooves 186, 188, so that corner posts 190, 192help to hold this bulkhead section in cargo container 100.

Bulkhead section 178b is preferably releasably held in place, and thebulkhead section is completely, or substantially completely, removed toform a cargo outlet extending between cross bar 184 and container floor112 and between container posts 190, 192 to discharge cargo fromcontainer 100. Since the upper bulkhead section 178a is fully supportedby cross bar 184 and spacers 180, 182, that bulkhead section 178a isstill fully supported even after lower bulkhead section 178b is removedto form the above-mentioned cargo outlet. It should be noted that theuse of lower bulkhead section 178b is not always necessary; and,depending on the size of the outlet opening and the type of cargo withwhich the bulkhead is used, that outlet opening may be left uncovered.

Preferably, bulkheads 106 and 178 are made from plastic, craft paper, orcorrugated material; and the bulkheads are provided with suitableopenings, or with score lines to facilitate the formation of suitableopenings, to allow material to be loaded into the cargo containerthrough the bulkheads. The bulkheads may be made of any other suitablematerial, though; and, for instance, the bulkheads may be made fromwood. Moreover, reinforcing bars 152 and 177 are preferably made from ametal, although these bars may be made from other materials such as woodor plastic.

FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate an apparatus 200 for pulling liner 104outward from cargo container 100; and, generally, this apparatuscomprises frame 202, mandrel 204, drive means 206, and connecting means210. Connecting means 210 is mounted on frame 202 to connect unloadingapparatus 200 to cargo container 100, preferably immediately rearward ofand below the bottom edge of the back opening thereof. Mandrel 204 isrotatably supported by and laterally extends across frame 202 andincludes means 212 to connect liner 104 to the mandrel, and drive means206 is mounted on the frame and engages the mandrel to rotate themandrel to wind the liner therearound and, thereby, to pull the lineroutward from cargo container 100.

More specifically, frame 202 includes main transverse beam 214, left andright side beams 216 and 220, and left and right stabilizing members 222and 224. Transverse beam 214 is adapted to extend laterally across cargocontainer 100, immediately adjacent or slightly below the bottom edge ofthe back opening thereof. Left and right side beams 216 and 220 areconnected to and extend rearward from the left and right sides,respectively, of beam 214, and mandrel 204 is rotatably supported by andlaterally extends between the left and right side members.

In use, as liner 104 is wound around mandrel 204, apparatus 200 may tendto pivot upward about main transverse beam 214, and stabilizing members222 and 224 are provided to limit or to prevent such pivoting movement.In particular, left and right stabilizing brackets 222 and 224 areconnected to and extend upward from the left and right sides of beam214, respectively; and in case apparatus 200 tends to pivot upward abouttransverse beam 214, those stabilizing brackets engage or abut againstthe left and right back sides of cargo container 100, preventing furthersuch pivoting movement and thereby stabilizing frame 202 and the entireunloading apparatus 200 during the unloading process.

The various members or elements of frame 202 may be made of any suitablematerial and can be connected together in any suitable way. Forinstance, these elements may be made from a metal and welded or boltedtogether.

Mandrel 204 is rotatably mounted on frame 202; and more specifically,the mandrel is rotatably supported by and laterally extends between sidebeams 216 and 220 of the frame. To pull a liner 104 from cargo container100, the back end of that liner is connected to mandrel 204, and thenthe mandrel is rotated to wind the liner onto and around the mandrel204. To facilitate connecting liner 104 to the mandrel, the mandrelpreferably includes an axially extending slot 212 that radially extendscompletely through the mandrel; and with particular reference to FIGS. 4and 16, to connect liner 104 to this mandrel 204, the back edge 104b ofthe liner is pulled through slot 212. Alternatively, mandrel 104 may beprovided with raised portions that allow it to grip liner 104. After theliner is connected to the mandrel, the mandrel is then rotated to windthe liner onto the mandrel.

Drive means 206 is mounted on frame 202 and is provided to rotatemandrel 204, and preferably the drive means includes a winch 226 and amotor or engine 230. Winch 226 is mounted on frame 202, specificallyleft side member 216, and is directly connected to mandrel 204 to rotatethe mandrel. Alternatively, winch 226 may be mounted on right sidemember 220 of frame 202. Engine or motor 230 is also mounted on frame202 and is connected to winch 216 to operate that winch. Any suitablewinch, motor, or engine may be used in the practice of the presentinvention.

However, often cargo containers of the general type disclosed in FIGS.1-3 are transported by trucks or other vehicles that includes a powersource, such as a hydraulic pump, an electric battery or an electricgenerator; and preferably, motor 230 can be operated by the power sourceon the vehicle that carries the cargo container 100. In particular, ifthis vehicle has a hydraulic pump, it may be preferred to provideunloading apparatus 200 with a hydraulic motor; while if thetransporting vehicle has an electric battery or generator, it may beappropriate to provide apparatus 200 with an electric motor.

Connecting means 210 preferably includes left and right connectingassemblies 232 and 234 mounted, respectively, on the left and rightsides of frame 202 to connect the frame, respectively, to left and rightsides of cargo container 100. An important advantage of apparatus 200 isthat the connecting assemblies 232 and 234 thereof are particularly welladapted to mount apparatus 200 onto an intermodal cargo container havingconventional, lower back corner castings spaced apart a standarddistance.

To elaborate, standard intermodal cargo containers of the type shown inFIGS. 1-3 typically have corner members, referred to as corner castings,located at, among other places, the back lower left and back lower rightcorners of the container body. One corner casting is shown at 236 inFIG. 18; and as illustrated therein, the corner castings form amultitude of openings 240 that are used to lock the cargo containersonto supporting members such as trucks or railroad car frames or othercontainers. Because of the way in which these corner castings are used,industry standards have developed that govern the size, shape, andspacing of the corner castings. In order to make apparatus 200 very easyto mount onto a cargo container having such lower back corner castings,connecting assemblies 232 and 234, first, are specifically designed tolock into corner castings, and second, are spaced apart a distancesubstantially equal to a standard distance between such corner castings.

Left and right connecting assemblies 232 and 234 are substantiallyidentical, and thus only one will be described herein in detail. Withreference to FIG. 19, each of the connecting assemblies includes twistlock 242, handle 244, spacer 246, support rod 250, and adjusting nut252. Twist lock 242 is rotatably mounted on frame 202, specificallytransverse beam 214, adjacent one end there

of; and handle 244 is connected to the twist lock to pivot that lock tofacilitate inserting the twist lock into, and then locking it inside,one of the corner castings of cargo container 100. More specifically,twist lock 242 is pivotal between, and handle 244 is used to pivot thetwist lock between, first and second positions shown in FIGS. 20 and 21,respectively. In this first position, twist lock 242 can be insertedthrough an opening 240 in, and into the interior of, corner casting 236;and in the second position, twist lock 242 is locked inside cornercasting 236. Preferably, as illustrated in the drawings, twist lock 242is disposed on a forward or front side of beam 214, and handle 244 isdisposed on a rearward or back side of that beam.

Twist lock 242 may be pivotally mounted on beam 214 and handle 244 maybe connected to the twist lock in any suitable way. For example, athrough opening 254 may be formed in beam 214, and rod 250 may beinserted through that opening such that the rod is supported by beam 214and is rotatable in opening 254. At the same time, twist lock 242 isrigidly mounted on a forward end of rod 250, and handle 244 is connectedto a back end of rod 250.

Spacing member 246 is connected to transverse beam 214, between thatbeam and twist lock 242, to maintain the twist lock spaced from thetransverse beam. This facilitates inserting the twist lock into theinterior of corner casting 236 and locking the twist lock therein. Asshown in FIG. 19, preferably, support rod 250 also extends throughspacing member 246.

Preferably, each connecting assembly 232 and 234 also includestightening means connected to the twist lock to pull the twist locktoward transverse beam 214 and thereby to connect frame 202 tightly to arespective one of the corner casting members on container 100. With theembodiment of connecting assembly 232 illustrated in the drawings, thistightening means comprises adjusting nut 252, which is threadablymounted on rod 250, rearward of beam 214. In operation, once twist lock242 is locked inside corner casting 236, nut 252 is threaded forward onrod 250 to bring the nut into engagement with the backside of beam 214and then to pull rod 250 and twist lock 242 rearward, thereby clampingthe corner casting securely between twist lock 242 and beam 214, asshown in FIG. 22.

FIGS. 23 and 24 illustrate an alternate unloading apparatus 300comprising frame 302, mandrel 304, drive means 306, and connecting means310. Generally, the functions of the main components of apparatus 300are similar to the functions of the corresponding components ofapparatus 200. In particular, connecting means 310 is mounted on frame302 to connect unloading apparatus 300 to cargo container 100,preferably immediately rearward of and below the bottom edge of the backopening thereof. Mandrel 304 is rotatably supported by and laterallyextends across frame 302 and includes means 312 to connect liner 104 tothe mandrel, and drive means 306 is mounted on the frame and engages themandrel to rotate the mandrel to wind the liner therearound and,thereby, to pull the liner outward from the cargo container.

With apparatus 300, frame 302 comprises left and right side members 314and 316; and connecting means 310 comprises left and right connectingmembers 320 and 322 connected to frame members 314 and 316,respectively, to connect frame 302 to the left and right sides of cargocontainer 100. Connecting members 320 and 322 are substantiallyidentical, and hence only one will be described herein in detail. Withparticular reference to FIG. 24, connecting member 320 preferablyincludes base 324 and hook 326. Base 324 is connected to, and indeed maybe integral with, side member 314 of frame 302, and base 324 extendsupward from that frame side member. Hook 326, in turn, is connected toand extends outward from base 324 and is provided to hook or mountconnecting member 320 onto the left side of cargo container 100; andthis may be done, for instance, by mounting hook 326 onto a left backdoor hinge of the cargo container. To elaborate, each of the back doors120a and 120b of container 100 is, typically, pivotally connected to arespective one lateral side of the cargo container by one or more hinges330, and hook 326 may be shaped to mount securely on one of those backhinges.

Other types of connecting or attaching members 320 and 322 may be usedon apparatus 300 to connect that apparatus to container 100. Forinstance, cargo containers are also commonly provided with a multitudeof lash rings along the upper left and upper right sides of thecontainers to secure materials or items inside the containers. Apparatus300 may be provided with connecting members that connect or hook ontothose lash rings to hold apparatus 300 in its desired position.

The various elements of frame 302 and connecting means 310 may be madeof any suitable material, such as metal, and may be connected togetherin any acceptable manner, such as by welding or by bolting the elementstogether.

Mandrel 304 is rotatably mounted on frame 302; and in particular, themandrel is rotatably supported by and laterally extends between sidebeams 314 and 316 of frame 302. To help connect a liner to the mandrel,the mandrel preferably forms an axially extending slot 312, similar toslot 212 of mandrel 204, that radially extends completely through themandrel. Alternatively, mandrel 304 also may be provided with a raisedsurface to grip a liner or conveyor sheet.

Drive means 306 is mounted on frame 302 and is provided to rotatemandrel 304, and preferably this drive means includes a winch 332 and amotor or engine 334. Winch 332 is mounted on frame 302, specificallyleft side member 314, and is connected to mandrel 304 to rotate themandrel. Engine or motor 334 is also mounted on frame 302 and isconnected to winch 332 to operate that winch. Any suitable winch, motor,or engine may be used with apparatus 300; although, as is the case withapparatus 200, preferably engine or motor 334 can be operated with thepower source on any vehicle employed to carry container 100.

Both apparatus 200 and apparatus 300 may be provided with a hopper,shown at 336 in FIG. 23, either to collect the cargo unloaded fromcontainer 100, or to help convey that cargo to a given location. Asillustrated in FIG. 23, hopper 336 is located below mandrel 304 toreceive the cargo from cargo container 100. More specifically, hopper336 defines interior 336a, inlet 336b, and outlet 336c. Inlet 336b islocated at the top of the hopper and is in communication with theinterior thereof to conduct the cargo into the hopper interior, andoutlet 336c is located at the bottom of the hopper and is incommunication with the interior thereof to discharge the cargo from thehopper.

Preferably, hopper outlet 336c is adapted to be connected to a tube,hose or rotary air lock, as shown, that may by used to conduct the cargofrom the hopper to another location. For example, pneumatic pressure maybe used to force the cargo through that tube or hose.

Hopper 336 may be supported in any suitable manner; and for instance,hopper may be provided with a plurality of legs or a base, which may beadjustable, to support the hopper on the Ground. Alternatively, thehopper may be connected to and supported by frame 302 of apparatus 300or frame 202 of apparatus 200, or the hopper may be connected to andsupported by cargo container 100.

In use, apparatus 200 or apparatus 300, either with or without hopper336, is located adjacent or connected to cargo container 100. Then, theback edge of liner 104 or 134 is inserted through the axial slot 212 ofmandrel 204 or the axial slot 312 of mandrel 304, and the mandrel isrotated to pull the liner outward from the cargo container. The cargocomes out of the container with the liner and either falls onto theground below the mandrel or, optionally, falls into hopper 336. Thecargo may thence be conducted from the hopper via a delivery tubeconnected to the hopper outlet, or the cargo may be carried in thehopper to a desired location.

FIGS. 25 and 26 show another alternate unloading apparatus 350,generally, comprising support frame 352, pulling means such as mandrel354, drive means 356, and hopper 360. Unloading apparatus 350 isself-supporting, and thus it is not necessary to connect this unloadingapparatus to the cargo container with which the unloading apparatus isused. Moreover, with apparatus 350, the height of mandrel 354 and hopper360 are adjustable; and in particular, the mandrel and hopper can bemoved upward or downward according to the height of the floor of thecargo container with which the unloading apparatus is used.

More specifically, support frame 352 includes four support legs 362,four lower frame members 364, and four upper frame members 366. Onlythree of the support legs, and two of the lower frame members are shownin the drawings. Legs 362 are substantially vertical, and as viewed fromabove, are located at the corners of a rectangle. Lower frame members364 are connected to bottom ends of legs 362 and form a lower rectangle;and upper frame members 366 are connected to upper portions of the legsand form an upper rectangle, parallel to and directly above the lowerrectangle formed by frame members 364. A set of wheels 370 is preferablyconnected to the lower frame members to help move frame 352 andapparatus 350.

Mandrel 354 is rotatably supported by and laterally extends between twoof the upper members of frame 352; and to help connect a liner to themandrel, this mandrel also may form an axially extending slot 372,similar to slot 212 of mandrel 204 and slot 312 of mandrel 304, thatradially extends completely through the mandrel. Alternatively, mandrel354 may be provided with a raised surface to grip a liner or conveyorsheet. A winch 374 is mounted on frame 352 and connected to mandrel 354to rotate the mandrel. Any suitable engine or motor (not shown) may beused to operate winch 374; preferably, however, this engine or motor isone that can be operated by the power source on any vehicle used tocarry container 100.

Hopper 360 is connected to and supported by frame 352, specifically oneof the upper frame members 366, and the hopper is located directly belowmandrel 354 to receive cargo from cargo container 100. Moreparticularly, hopper 360 defines interior 360a, inlet 360b and outlet360c. Inlet 360b is located at the top of the hopper and is incommunication with the interior thereof to receive cargo from container100 and to conduct that cargo into the hopper interior 360a, and outlet360c, is located at the bottom of the hopper and is in communicationwith the interior thereof to discharge the cargo from the hopper.Preferably, as with hopper 336, the outlet 360c of hopper 360 is adaptedto be connected to a rotary air lock, tube, or hose that may be used toconduct the cargo from the hopper to another location.

The various elements of frame 352 may be made of any suitable material,such as metal, and may be connected together in any acceptable way.Likewise, mandrel 354, hopper 360, and winch 374 may be connected toframe 352 in any suitable manner. Preferably, though, upper framemembers 366 may be connected to legs 362 at any selected one of amultitude of positions along the height of those legs. With theembodiment of mechanism 350 shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, each of the legs362 forms a multitude of bolt holes 376 vertically spaced apart alongthe upper portions of the leg, and frame members 366 are bolted to thoselegs 362.

To adjust the height of frame members 366--and thereby adjust the heightof mandrel 354 and hopper 360--those frame members are unbolted fromlegs 362, raised or lowered to a new position along the height of thoselegs, and then re-bolted to the legs.

In operation, apparatus 350 is located adjacent cargo container 100,specifically, the back bottom edge thereof, the back edge of liner 104or 134 is inserted through the axial slot of mandrel 354 or otherwiseconnected to or engaged by the mandrel, and the mandrel is rotated topull the liner outward from the cargo container. The bulk cargo in thecontainer 100 is pulled out therefrom with the liner and falls intohopper 360. This cargo may be collected in the hopper and then carriedto a desired location, or the cargo may be conducted from the hopper viaa delivery tube or rotary air lock connected to the hopper outlet.

Each of the unloading mechanisms 200, 300, and 350 may be provided withmeans, other than a single mandrel, to pull a liner from a cargocontainer. For instance, each of these unloading mechanisms may includea pair of adjacent rotatable mandrels; and in use, the leading edge of aliner may be inserted between these mandrels and the mandrels thenrotated to pull the liner from a cargo container.

The unloading procedure described above is very well suited forunloading bulk cargoes. In addition, the procedure is also effective forunloading various pelletized granular products, individual cartons,bags, bales, loose garbage, drums, green salted raw hides, or almost anyother commodity that can be loaded into a truck and discharged.

While it is apparent that the invention herein disclosed is wellcalculated to fulfill the objects previously stated, it will beappreciated that numerous modifications and embodiments may be devisedby those skilled in the art, and it is intended that the appended claimscover all such modifications and embodiments as fall within the truespirit and scope of the present invention.

We claim:
 1. An unloading system for use with a cargo container, saidcontainer having a cargo space defined by a container body with a floorbetween, a left side wall and a facing opposite right side wall, aceiling facing the floor between the left side wall and right side wall,a front wall located between the side walls, floor and ceiling, at afront end of the container, and an opening at a rear end of thecontainer formed by portions of the floor, the left side wall and theright side wall, and ceiling located at the rear of the container, theunloading system comprising:a liner with length positioned on saidfloor, said liner having means to allow the length of the liner toexpand; an unloading apparatus comprising;a frame support means; pullingmeans supported by and extending across the support frame to engage theliner; drive means supported by the frame and connected to the pullingmeans to drive the pulling means to pull the liner outward from thecargo container to unload cargo therefrom; connecting means releasablyconnecting the pulling means to the frame support means, and adapted toconnect the pulling means to the support frame at any one of a multitudeof heights; bulkhead means located forward of and adjacent the backopening, means connected to the container body and to the bulkheadmeans, suspending the bulkhead means inside the container body so thatthe bulkhead means does not depend upon the floor for support, thebulkhead means including a thin planar bulkhead with reinforcing barssecured thereto inside container body and said bars extending laterallyacross the bulkhead to engage the container body so that when a cargo isplaced inside the container, the bars transfer a load of the cargo fromthe bulkhead to the container body; and when the liner is pulledoutward, the cargo is unloaded the container through an opening in thebulkhead.
 2. An unloading system according to claim 1, furthercomprising a hopper connected to the frame support means, beneath thepulling means, to receive the cargo unloaded from the cargo container.3. An unloading system according to claim 1, wherein:the frame supportmeans includes a plurality of generally vertical support legs; theconnecting means includesi) a plurality of support members, and ii)means releasably connecting the support members to the support legs, andadapted to connect the support members to the support legs at any one ofa multitude of heights; and the pulling means is connected to thesupport members.
 4. An unloading system according to claim 1,wherein:the frame support means includes a plurality of generallyvertical support legs, each of the legs forming a plurality of boltholes, vertically spaced apart along the leg; the connecting meansincludesi) a plurality of support members, and ii) a plurality of boltsreleasably connecting the support members to the support legs, each boltengaging one of the support members, and secured in one of the boltholes of one of the support legs; and the pulling means is connected tothe support members.
 5. An apparatus and system for unloading bulk cargofrom a cargo container, said container having a cargo space defined by acontainer body with a floor between, a left side wall and a facingopposite right side wall, a ceiling facing the floor between the leftside wall and right side wall, a front wall located between the sidewalls, floor and ceiling, at a front end of the container, and anopening at the rear end of the container formed by portions of thefloor, the left side wall and the right side wall, and ceiling locatedat the rear of the container, the apparatus and system for unloadingbulk cargo comprising:a liner with length positioned on said floor, saidliner having means to allow the length of the liner to expand, aflexible planar bulkhead of sheet-like construction located forward andadjacent the opening at the rear of the container between the ceiling,floor and side walls, said bulkhead being attached to bars which runbetween the opposite side walls of the container with straps attached toat least one of the bars, said straps also being attached to an upperportion of the container so that the bulkhead does not depend upon thefloor for support, wherein the bulkhead has at a lower section adetachable portion, an unloading apparatus detachably suspended off therear of the cargo container,said unloading apparatus having a mandrellaterally extending across the back opening with a left connectionassembly at a left end of the mandrel, said left connection assemblydetachably connected to the rear of the container and rotatablysupporting the left end of the mandrel and a right connection assemblylocated at a right end of the mandrel, said right connection assemblybeing detachably connected to a rear portion of the container androtatably supporting the right end of the mandrel, and a grip on themandrel to connect the liner to the mandrel with a motor locatedadjacent the mandrel and engaging the mandrel to rotate the mandrel towind the liner therearound, wherein winding the liner around the mandrelpulls the liner outward from the cargo container; the apparatus andsystem cooperating such that when a bulk cargo is placed in thecontainer on top of the liner, the bulkhead prevents the bulk cargo fromspilling out of the rear opening; however, when the liner is attached tothe mandrel and the detachable lower portion of the bulkhead is removed,the mandrel pulls the liner out of the container onto the mandrel andthe bulk cargo placed in the liner passes through the opening in thebulkhead unloading the cargo from the container.
 6. Unloading apparatusaccording to claim 5, wherein:the left connection assembly includesi) aleft twist lock rotatably mounted on a frame, and ii) a left handleconnected to the left twist lock to pivot the left twist lock tofacilitate inserting the left twist lock into, and locking the lefttwist lock in a left side of the cargo container; and the rightconnection assembly includesi) a right twist lock rotatably mounted onthe frame, and ii) a right handle connection to the right twist lock topivot the right twist lock to facilitate inserting the right twist lockinto, and locking the right twist lock in, a right side of the cargocontainer.
 7. An unloading apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:theframe includes a main transverse beam having front and back sides, andadapted to extend laterally across the cargo container adjacent the backopening thereof; the left and right twist locks are located on a frontside of the transverse beam; and the left and right handles are locatedon a back side of the transverse beam.
 8. An unloading apparatusaccording to claim wherein:the left and right twist locks are supportedfor limited movement toward and away from the frame; the left connectionassembly further includes tightening means connected to the left twistlock to pull the left twist lock toward the frame and to connect theframe tightly to the left side of the cargo container; and the rightconnection assembly further includes tightening means connected to theright twist lock to pull the right twist lock toward the frame and toconnect the frame tightly to the right side of the cargo container. 9.The system of claim 5 wherein the grip comprises a slot axiallyextending along and radially extending through the mandrel.
 10. Thesystem of claim 5 wherein the grip comprises a raised portion of themandrel.
 11. The system of claim 5 wherein the left-connection assemblyincludes a first hook to hook the unloading apparatus onto a left sideof the container; and the right-connection assembly includes a secondhook to hook the unloading apparatus onto a right side of the container.12. The system of claim 11 wherein the first hook is adapted to hookonto a left back hinge of the cargo container, and the second hook isadapted to hook onto a right back hinge of the cargo container.
 13. Thesystem of claim 5 wherein the left-connecting mechanism includes atwist-lock mechanism to connect the left-connection assembly to a lowerleft corner of the container with an opening to receive the twist-lockmechanism and the right-connection assembly includes a twist-lockmechanism to connect the right twist-lock mechanism to a lowerright-hand corner of the container with an opening to receive the same.14. The system of claim 5 wherein an electric motor rotates the mandrel.15. The system of claim 5 wherein the left-connecting mechanism includesa left-stabilizing bracket connected to the left-connection assembly andextending up therefrom, and the right-connection assembly includes aright-stabilizing bracket connected thereto and extending upwardtherefrom wherein both the right and left stabilizing brackets areadapted to abut against left and right sides, respectively, of the cargocontainer as the mandrel pulls the liner outward therefrom.
 16. Thesystem of claim 5 wherein the unloading apparatus includes a maintransverse beam adapted to extend laterally across the cargo containeradjacent the back opening thereof with a left stabilizing bracketconnected to and extending upward from the transverse beam; and a rightstabilizing bracket connected to and extending upward from thetransverse beam; wherein the left and right stabilizing brackets areadapted to abut against left and right sides, respectively, of the cargocontainer as the mandrel pulls the liner outward therefrom.
 17. Thesystem of claim 5 wherein the system is adapted to unload at least40,000 pounds of cargo from the cargo container in approximately 15minutes.
 18. The system of claim 5 further comprising a hopper locatedadjacent the mandrel to receive the cargo unloaded from the cargocontainer wherein the hopper defines an interior, an inlet located at atop of the hopper and in communication with the interior thereof forreceiving the cargo, and an outlet located at a bottom of the hopper andin communication with the interior thereof for discharging the cargofrom the hopper.
 19. The system of claim 18 further including adischarge tube connected to the outlet of the hopper to conduct thecargo therefrom.
 20. The system of claim 5, wherein the cargo isselected from a group of following products pelletized products, grains,such as malt, wheat, hops, coffee, etc., individual cartons, bags,bails, loose garbage, drums, and green salted raw hides.